When the weather turns cold and the tomatoes are done for good, it’s root vegetables that begin to star in my dinners. As much as I love butternut squash, pumpkin, potatoes and beets, turnips are the vegetables that grow most easily in my garden. And they store even better. So it’s turnips I have learned to love. My absolute favorite turnip recipe is this one, a twist on the classic French dish Pommes Anna (or Anna potatoes). If you find a better way to eat turnips, be sure to let me know.
Recipe from The New Irish Table cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 6 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- fine sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme
- 1/2 tsp. fresh rosemary
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 2 pounds turnips, peeled and thinly sliced
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with some of the melted butter.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, cheese, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and nutmeg.
- Arrange a layer of turnip slices on the bottom of the pie plate. Top with some of the cheese mixture and then some bacon. Drizzle with some of the butter.
- Repeat until you have no more to layer.
- Pour the cream over the turnips.
- Place the pie plate on a baking sheet. (This is key; otherwise it will make a mess of your oven.) Then grease a piece of foil and cover the top of the pie plate.
- Place a second pie plate on top of that and fill it with pie weights (dried beans work fine) or place a cast iron skillet atop the original pie plate.
- Press firmly, then bake 40-45 minutes, until golden.
- Remove from oven. Loosen the edges with a spatula.
- Let cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving platter and cut into wedges.